Fine Tubes, the tube manufacturers for the aerospace, medical, nuclear and power, oil and gas and chemical process sectors, is now four years into a solar power project with SENER.
SENER is the international engineering and construction specialist behind the Gemasolar commercial power plant – the first of its kind. Together with MASDAR, Abu Dabi’s alternative energies expert, the company began work on the ground-breaking power plant in 2008. SENER has also provided the key technology of this innovative facility.
The Gemasolar plant is capable of producing electricity for 15 hours with no sunlight, enabling it to work through the night and in overcast conditions. What is more, the high temperature at which solar energy is captured generates steam at a higher pressure and temperature which considerably increases the turbine's performance. Its operational capability of up to 24-hour working days presents the first large-scale commercial opportunity in solar power and allows a clean source of energy such as solar energy to become manageable, and capable of responding to the grid’s demand.
In a year, the plant can generate enough power for over 27,500 homes and exceeded all projections in its first year of operation. The plant is also able to save CO2 emissions by more than 30,000 tons a year.
Brian Mercer, Sales and Marketing Director at Fine Tubes, said: “Gemasolar was an amazing project to be part of and we‘re very proud to have played a part in making it operational. It marks a significant beginning of cost reduction in the thermosolar energy sector. It is now likely that future tower projects will be much more profitable and that in the coming years with the standardisation of the industry, concentrated solar power can be competitive with traditional energy sources.”
Fore more information, visit www.finetubes.com
